School of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development

Abstract: Critical thinking in mathematics problem solving sessions is the focus of the paper. This preliminary research study set out to examine the problem solving sessions activated through online Discussion Forums in Mathematics classes in a first year university course supported by the Blackboard Learning System. The study involved a group of 46 participants and has the following purposes: (a) to adapt a model to evaluate critical thinking, at individual level in mathematical problem solving sessions of online Discussion Forums; (b) to examine the relationship between mathematical achievement, as measured by the final examination grades and critical thinking in online Discussion Forums incorporated into a university mathematics course; (c) to check whether there has been a progression of critical thinking skills based on the discussion forum postings from forum 1 (Week 3) to forum 2 (Week 11) of the 14 week-long course. The analysis based on the model showed an overall increase in the total number of messages in forum 2 over forum 1. But lower phase of critical thinking was seen dominant and a slight dependence between mathematical achievement and student's communication variables was observed